Shulvapaladin - Tumblr Posts
Curious Kitten
Starter for @shulvapaladin Velstadt
Half lidded blue eyes stared down at her lazily swinging legs. Princess Lucette of Valencia was bored. Very very bored. Her family and her all came together to this kingdom because her Uncle wanted to ally with King Leeroy. She thought it would be fun like some of the other times but no, she was wrong. It was another boring meeting with a lot of adults talking and nodding.
‘At least the King is nice.’ She thought optimistically, glancing up to look at the blond king in the pretty armor. When her turn had come to greet him when they entered the gates, she had dropped down into the curtsy Queen taught her, only for her foot to slip in the snow. With her long dress and heavy furs, no one behind would’ve seen it but anyone in front of her would have.
Her cheeks puffed up and she felt embarrassment sting her along with the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. But she was stubborn and refused to cry in front of everyone, swallowing her embarrassment and continued as if nothing had happened. She thought he would have teased her or completely ignore it but instead, surprising her, he smiled down at her and gave her a deep bow in return.
“A Queen already, this little one. I sense that the future of Valencia is good hands.” He had said, smiling at her and her uncle. She was shocked but then beamed at him in return, being able to feel her family’s pride from there.
Now, she was bored of sitting in the hard chair and eating the strange food given to her. She wanted to go outside and play.
Waiting for a lull in the conversation, Lucette then turned to her uncle.
“Uncle Kane, can I go outside? Pleaaaaaaassseee?” She begged, giving him the kitten eyes.
“Once today’s meeting is over. You are supposed to be learning.” He replied, giving her a stern look, making her duck her head in shame.
“I am. I’m just bored.”
“Just a while longer, Lucette. Then you can play to your heart’s content until we retire to our rooms.” He placated, smoothing down her curls. She frowned but nodded her head anyway, leaning back in her chair with a heavy sigh. As the meeting continued on, it took everything in her not to fidget around. Finally, she could take no more. She had to get out of here.
“Uncle, can I use the bathroom?” She whispered, tugging softly at his sleeve. Receiving a barely noticeable nod, she hopped out of her chair and hurried out the door. When she turned around to close it, she saw the King glance at her before going back to her Uncle, the slightest hint of a smirk on his lips. Something told her that he knew she wasn’t going to the bathroom.
She stealthily, as much as can be expected of a child, sneaked out of the castle into the courtyard, giggles of excitement escaping her. Free at last!
Finding a good space away from sight filled with pure untouched snow, she hopped in, laughing gleefully as she made snow angels.
Curious Kitten
kingarise
Half lidded blue eyes stared down at her lazily swinging legs. Princess Lucette of Valencia was bored. Very very bored. Her family and her all came together to this kingdom because her Uncle wanted to ally with King Leeroy. She thought it would be fun like some of the other times but no, she was wrong. It was another boring meeting with a lot of adults talking and nodding.
‘At least the King is nice.’ She thought optimistically, glancing up to look at the blond king in the pretty armor. When her turn had come to greet him when they entered the gates, she had dropped down into the curtsy Queen taught her, only for her foot to slip in the snow. With her long dress and heavy furs, no one behind would’ve seen it but anyone in front of her would have.
Her cheeks puffed up and she felt embarrassment sting her along with the tears beginning to well up in her eyes. But she was stubborn and refused to cry in front of everyone, swallowing her embarrassment and continued as if nothing had happened. She thought he would have teased her or completely ignore it but instead, surprising her, he smiled down at her and gave her a deep bow in return.
“A Queen already, this little one. I sense that the future of Valencia is good hands.” He had said, smiling at her and her uncle. She was shocked but then beamed at him in return, being able to feel her family’s pride from there.
Now, she was bored of sitting in the hard chair and eating the strange food given to her. She wanted to go outside and play.
The newly appointed Loyce Knight shivered, rubbing his elbows through the armor. Gods be damn it all, it was cold! Even after a week of living here, he still was not used to it.
At least they had a home though.
Velstadt’s thoughts shifted. Fleeing from Nashandra when he could have likely done something… damn, even now the thought hurts; fingers clenching tighter around the shaft of Brent.
The Betrayer.
No longer the Royal Aegis, just Velstadt the Betrayer. The Kinslayer.
Lucette was in the middle of making a snow man when she spotted an abnormally large man walking by in pretty golden armor like the King’s. He was carrying a...well, she actually didn’t what it was.
“It looks like a big bell.” She thought out loud, tilting her head like a curious cat. The giant looked nice, so maybe she can talk to him!
Excited, the little girl sat down the snow man’s head and toddled her way out the snow, running over to the giant golden man with the weird bell thing.
“Hello.” She chirped, tilting her head back to properly see his face. Well, she thinks that’s where his face is. His helmet casts a dark shadow over it.
Curious Kitten
kingarise
Waiting for a lull in the conversation, Lucette then turned to her uncle.
“Uncle Kane, can I go outside? Pleaaaaaaassseee?” She begged, giving him the kitten eyes.
“Once today’s meeting is over. You are supposed to be learning.” He replied, giving her a stern look, making her duck her head in shame.
“I am. I’m just bored.”
“Just a while longer, Lucette. Then you can play to your heart’s content until we retire to our rooms.” He placated, smoothing down her curls. She frowned but nodded her head anyway, leaning back in her chair with a heavy sigh. As the meeting continued on, it took everything in her not to fidget around. Finally, she could take no more. She had to get out of here.
“Uncle, can I use the bathroom?” She whispered, tugging softly at his sleeve. Receiving a barely noticeable nod, she hopped out of her chair and hurried out the door. When she turned around to close it, she saw the King glance at her before going back to her Uncle, the slightest hint of a smirk on his lips. Something told her that he knew she wasn’t going to the bathroom.
She stealthily, as much as can be expected of a child, sneaked out of the castle into the courtyard, giggles of excitement escaping her. Free at last!
Finding a good space away from sight filled with pure untouched snow, she hopped in, laughing gleefully as she made snow angels.
The knight was deep in his own thoughts by the time he shuffled his way back into the great palace.
Drangleic was in ruins, their king was dead and a false queen sits upon the throne that used to belong to Vendrick. Velstadt shuddered: they came so close to losing their lives, if Syan had not intervened and sent them here.
The Knight King’s generosity was a gift he could never repay. Not when he, they had so little to offer and he gave all but everything they could have needed without asking anything in return. Gods far above, even now he could feel his pride twitch a little -
Passing by the courtyard, the Knight paused at the sound of a little girl’s voice. Ah, that was right, the King had visitors today from another realm.
At the mention of parents, the little girl’s smile dropped, her happiness dimming.
“I don’t have any parents. Not anymore.” She mumbled dejectedly, fingers fiddling with the fur trimming on her cloak.
“But I still have my uncle! But he’s in a meeting, so you shouldn’t bother him.” She perked immediately, giving him a wide smile to be more convincing. She knew that if the giant knight did go to her uncle about her, uncle would be angry.
Curious Kitten
kingarise
Lucette was in the middle of making a snow man when she spotted an abnormally large man walking by in pretty golden armor like the King’s. He was carrying a…well, she actually didn’t what it was.
“It looks like a big bell.” She thought out loud, tilting her head like a curious cat. The giant looked nice, so maybe she can talk to him!
Excited, the little girl sat down the snow man’s head and toddled her way out the snow, running over to the giant golden man with the weird bell thing.
“Hello.” She chirped, tilting her head back to properly see his face. Well, she thinks that’s where his face is. His helmet casts a dark shadow over it.
“Hello there little one.” Velstadt returned with a soft smile on his lips. Sweet young innocence, been a while since he had seen any of that in, honestly forever: “Where are your parents? Something tells me you shouldn’t be out here by yourself.”
After all, judging by the elaborate garments she wore, she was no simple peasant that was invited to the palace by the Knight King.
The little princess beamed brightly up at him, holding out one hand with her pinkie up.
“Pinkie swear that you’re not going to tell Uncle Kane? You HAVE to swear now.” She stressed, a mischievous light shining in her blue eyes.
Curious Kitten
kingarise
At the mention of parents, the little girl’s smile dropped, her happiness dimming.
“I don’t have any parents. Not anymore.” She mumbled dejectedly, fingers fiddling with the fur trimming on her cloak.
“But I still have my uncle! But he’s in a meeting, so you shouldn’t bother him.” She perked immediately, giving him a wide smile to be more convincing. She knew that if the giant knight did go to her uncle about her, uncle would be angry.
Ah, so she was the princess that accompanied their new guests.
The golden clad knight let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head: “Sneaking out and away from the adults like you’re doing now, princess, is probably not the best idea.” Not for her anyway, Prince Kasimir did it whenever he wanted, and most of the time the Knight King never even noticed.
Even if he did, Leeroy never spoke a word about it.
“But I won’t make you go back there.” He promised, a hint of a smile quirking at the corners of his mouth beneath the golden helm. Childish innocence… how long had it been since he bore witness to that?
The little princess giggled, delighted that her secret would be kept. For now, at least. She was about to ask him about the big thing he carried around when a man carrying a large sword walked over, scaring her into hiding behind the tall knight. She watched with frightened but curious eyes as the he spoke, her tiny hands clutching the leg of the knight called Ser Velstadt. When the man’s attention went to her, she ducked a bit before gathering her courage, just enough to peek out and wave hello to him. “Hello.”
Curious Kitten
kingarise
The little princess beamed brightly up at him, holding out one hand with her pinkie up.
“Pinkie swear that you’re not going to tell Uncle Kane? You HAVE to swear now.” She stressed, a mischievous light shining in her blue eyes.
The Knight knelt, so he was at eye level with the young girl. Velstadt chuckled, though extended his own hand and hooked his little finger with hers: “Of course, on my honor as a Knight of Eleum Loyce.”
With that being said, he stood: right, he had came here to report in for the rest of his duties and trade off with Ser Damarion. Whoops. Then again, his superior had been lax about all of it, and the Knight King even moreso. Maybe he could just slip this by -
“Good to see you, Ser Velstadt.” The familiar voice had him turning. Aegon of Heide slung the greatsword he wielded over his shoulder with a grin. The swordsman held his helm beneath one arm as he approached: “Oh, do we have a guest here?”